Electrical attachment for musical instruments



" Filed Aug. 5. 1926 A 1,646,061 oct. 18,*1927. /bMVHFSH/TZ 1/ELEGTRIC'TTACHMENT FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY 1,646,061 06h 18 1927' A. M. LlFsHlTz ELECTRICAL ATTACHMENT FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Auzy. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5.6 Y 26 O//z -p t' z 4' /3 l 3 /3 5 /6 l H +20 I 2.9 27 3 o! 2g ALEX M. L/FsH/rz INVENTOR ATTORNEY VFiati-interi Oct. 18, 1927.

UNITED STATES Lettini narrar ysie.

ALEX M. LIFSHITZ, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

ELECTRICAL .ATTACHMENT FOR MUSCAL NSTR'UMENTS.

Application led August 5, 1926. Serial No. 127,418.

My invention relates to electrical attachments and has a particular reference to electrical devices adapted to operate musical instruments of percussion type, such as drums, gongs, Xylophones etc.

The object ot my invention is to provide a series of electrical devices with electrical switches in the orm of pedals, the devices being easily attached to suitable musical instruments, the musician would be able to play on these musical instruments by simply operating the pedal switches. This arrangement would leave the musicians hands `tree to play on some other instrument, such as a piano, violin etc.

Vsith this object in view I provide my electrical percussion devices with means to attach them to the musical instriunents, also with means to adjust'their position itor proper operation. The pedalswitches l arrange so that a musician could operate them with the heel y or toe 'of his toot or both, in order to produce different eiiect, for instance, a single strike or a continuous vibration.

My invention is more 'l'ullydescribed in the accompanying speciiication and drawing in whieh Fig. 1 is an elevation partly in section oit a large drum and gong with different electrical percussion devices and with pedal switches. The electrical connections are shown diagrammatically. Fig. 2 is an elevation of a small drum with two ditl'crcutpercussion devices, vthe electrical connections being omitted on this drawing. Fig. 3 is an elevation oit an electromagnetic percussion device, Fig. l is a bottom VView of same, 5 is an elevation ot same in an inclined. position with electrical connections and switches shown diagrannnatically, and Fig'. 6 is a similar view showing different arrangement of switches.

My attachment consists oi an electromagnet 1 mounted on a yoke 2. A screw 3 threaded into the bottom end otthe magnet core at clamps the magnet this yoke. The upper end of the yoke is bent over and is provided with a large hole Vinto which a threaded bushing 5 is itted with an insulation 6. A Contact screw 7 is screwed into `the bushing 5. The end ot' the screw rests against a contact spring 8 attached to an armature 9 pivotally mounted` on pivots 10 on the yoke 2. A resilient rod 11 is attached to the end oi. the armature and is provided with a mallet or ball 12 at the end. The rod 11 is preferably (although not necessarily) made of a resilient material in order to produce a clear sound from the musical instrument. For this purpose the magnet is attached in such a position in relation to the' drum surface 13, for instance, that the ball 12, when armature is ltally attracted by the magnet, still stays a short distance away from the drum. Only when the armature is attracted quickly by the magnet the ball by inertiacauses a 'certain lexure of the rod 11, striking the drum surface and immediately rebounding back.

The lower portion ot the yoke 2 has a hole for the screw 3. When the latter is released the yoke with the mallet can be turned 1n any position around flexible supporting .members 14 which are also provided with holes for the screw 3. Another end of the member or strap 14: is pivotally mounted on a pin 15 fitted into holes 16 in lugs 17 on a clamp 18.

The upper end of this clamp is provided with a hook 19 adapted to tit the outer edge of a drum 20 v(shown with dotted lines The lower end of the clamp body is threaded for an extension rod 21 supporting a lower hook 22, which may be itted over the lower edge of the drum (its lower hoop). The clamp is tightened by turning the screw rod 21 for which purposes it has a head 23 with holes 24. Or it may be made hexagonal or square .tor a wrench.

.The supporting member 141 is `attached with one end to the yoke 2 and the other is provided with an elongated slot 25 for the screwv magnet may be shifted to different positions, the screw-3 sliding in the slot 25 ot the strap la', and the strap 111 deilecting accordingly. By observing Figs. 3 and 5 it may be-seen, that by moving the magnet away from the screw, it becomes inclined upon tightening of' the screw 3, as shown in; Fig. r5. This causes the mallet to take a position closer to the drum surface. By moving the magnet closer to the clamp 18 themagnet becomes tilted or inclined backwards, and the mallet will be moved` away from the drum surface.

The magnet may be also turned around the screw 3 in order toA adjust-the position of vthe malleton the drum.,V This is important when severalma'gnets are attached to the same drum (as Ashown in Figs. 1 and 2) in order to' select the most advantageous mu- `With the `screw 3' loosened theV tual positions for them to prevent their in-v terference and to obtain the best sound.

The mallet is normally kept in a raised. or inoperative position by means of a spring 26.

Fig. 5 shows a modified construction of the clamp 18 specially adapted for larger drums. In this case the clamp is provided with a lower hook 27 with a screw 2S. The end ot this screw has a pad 29 with which it presses against the lower edge of the drum hoop 20. The upper hook has also screw 30 with which the clamp is fastened to the upper edge of the hoop 20.

lith the clamps as sh own the magnet may be attached to any suitable musical instruments, such as gongs, drums, Xylophones etc.

Fig. 2 shows two magnets attached to a small drum on a tripod 3l. One oit the magnets is provided with a regular mallet ball l2, and the other has a bunch or" liexible thin rods which produce a special wind eiiect when operated. rlhe magnets are shown with simple armatures without interrupting device and adapted to produce a single blow of the mallet every time when the circuit is closed.

Similar magnets are attached to the periphery of a large drum, Fig. l and are provided with contact screws 7 so as to produce a vibrating effect when operated, the contact screw with the contact spring 8 forming an ordinary circuit interrupting device.

Fig. l shows a gong 82 attached with a clamp 33 to the large drum. In addition to the vibrating magnets l it has a nonvibrating strong magnet 34 mounted inside of the base 35. The armature 36 operates a wire 37 attached to one end of a rocking member 38 pivotally mounted on .a stand or support 39. The rocking member 38 has a resilient rod 1l with a ball 12 on the end. A spring 40 keeps the ball away from the gong in an inoperati've position.

The gong is also provided with a silencer which consists of a soft pad 4lA attached to an armature 42 of a magnet 43. A spring 44 `tends to keep the pad pressed against the gong, and the silencer releases the gong only when the magnet is energized.

The large drum has a single large mallet- 12 on a rocking member 45 with a retrieving spring 46 and an operating wire or rod 47 connected with an armature 48 of a strong double magnet 49 mounted inside of the base The rocking member is supported on a stand or bracket 50.

The current.V is furnished byV an electric battery '51 or similar source of electricity.

The rmagnets lare operated by ordinaryy pedaly or floor contact switches 52, shown diagrammatically in Fig. l. lWa-gnets 34 and 49 are operated by a pedal switch 53. A spring 54 is connected with one terminal of the battery 51, and a spring 55 with a contact plate 56 is connected through a coil oit the magnet with another battery terminal. This switch is adapted to be operated by a toe of the ioot 57 (shown with dotted lines in Fig. l) of a musician.

A spring 58, which may be made as an extension of the spring 54, is connected with one terminal of the battery 5l, and the contact spring 59Hthrough the coil 43 of the silencer with another battery terminal. A pedal switch 60 operates the large magnet 49.

The operation of these devices is as follows. The operator uses his left foot Vto press the pedals 52, one at a time, in order to produce a vibrating sound of the gong. This sound will be dampened or silenced, however, unless he presses the switch 53 with the heel oi his right toot (contact points 58 and 59). l/Vith this latter switch closed, the magnet 43 pulls 'the armature 42 and brings the silencer or dampener 4l away from the gong into an inoperative position.

'.lhe right Jroot may be used to operate the large mallct with the magnet 34 which produces a single blow on the gong. By pressingl the toe only the sound will be quickly silenced, but if the heel is pressed at the same time, then the sound will last for some time, gradually dying out.

The switch 60 may be operated by the right or left foot at the operators convenience.

In the same manner the switches l of Fig. 2 are operated (the electrical connections are not shown).

Fig. 5 represents a modification. Here a battery of switches 6l, 62, GB'and 64 are shown, all adapted to produce a single blow. This arrangement may be used, forY instance, to operate a plurality of switches for a Xylophone or cymbals.

The switch (il, however, i s a master switch. In its normal position, as shown, it connects the other battery terminal with the lead of the coil l which is also connected with the yoke 2. By pressing on .this switch so to close the contact 66, the fcontact point 67 becomes disconnected, and the circuit itor all the otherswitches becomes closed through the vibrating contact points between the screw 7 and the spring 8. With this position of the master switch all other switches, when operated, will cause the corresponding magnets toV vibrate. Y

Fig. 6 represents a modification of the pedal switch. The latter has three contact springs,68, G9 and 70, connected 4with the magnet l as shown. f

By pressing the switch 68 with the heel and the switch 69 with the toe, the circuit will be closed through the contact screw', causing the armature 9 to vibrate.V

By shitting the foot so as to press the switch 70, the coil l will be energized directly, and the armature will be attracted to the magnet, producing but one blow with the mallet 12. The switch 69 may be pressed without having any etl'ect, however, on the- 3 clamp and converging together at a distance from said clamp, a magnet, means to attach said magnet to said flexible members at the point or" their convergence, means to change the angular position otsaid` magnet in re- .lation to said drum, and an armature with a mallet adapted to be operated by said magnet. Y

2. In an electric attachment for musical instruments, the combination with a bracket, means to attach said bracket toa musical instrument, flexible members extending from the ends of said bracket and converging together at a distance from said bracket, a magnet, means to attach said magnet to said 'flexible members at the point of their convergence, said members being provided with elongated apertures for said attaching means, means to change the relative lengths of said flexible members thereby changing the angular position of said magnet in relation to said bracket, and an armature with a striking mallet' adapted to be operated by said magnet.

3. In an electrical attachment for musical instruments, the combination with a bracket of means to attach said bracket to a musical instrument, a magnet coil, an iron core in said magnet coil, said ceil and said core,

forming a magnet, extension members eX- tending from the ends of said bracket and converging together at a distance from said bracket, means to attach one end of said core to said.v members at the point ot their convergence, an armature with a mallet for said musical instrument adapted to be operated by said magnet, a switch, electrical connections between said switch and said coil, interrupting contact members for said armature, a second switch, electrical connections between said second switch and said inter-v rupting contact members, said switches being adapted to vbe operated by a heel and by toes of a musicians foot.

Signed at Brooklyn in the county ot Kings and Stato yoi New York this third day of August A. D., 1926.

. ALEX M. LIFSHITZ. 

